22 Comments

If Russia is now our ally and Uncle Vlad is our pal--thus reducing the serious threats to us by about 50%--why do we need to up the BIGLIEST defense spending in the world another $6 Billion??

Asking for a friend.

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Disclaimer: not on topic: People say things like “I never met a chocolate chip cookie I didn’t like.” So I’m going to shift that cookie cutter template to saying I’ve never read a TAFM post I didn’t like… And they come in a wide variety of flavors, I must add, not news to anybody here. But it’s always such a blessing. So grateful.

As I downsize my collection of books - my own, those from my classroom (favorites), and those brought from my brother’s home - there’s destined to be a TMC section on the freshly organized, distilled bookshelf. Brother Hugh was a most esoteric reader… brilliant guy… Served in Vietnam and later, London. Was one of my best friends. Anyway… He had a humongous collection of books. When he passed, we donated a lot, some went in the dumpster, which just killed me, and I have a number of boxes of books I brought home that seemed unlikely to be found in one’s local library, but at this point… I fear I’d best just peek inside to be sure all that’s there is books and then donate them because even if I live another couple of decades, I don’t know that I’d be able to read them all. Looking forward to solid reading in my dotage, and not just on my phone. Hugh would’ve consumed TMC books with great satisfaction and appreciation. I’ve always loved this Japanese term because I believe it stands for …Endless possibilities. Tsundoku (積ん読)

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Thanks Katherine!

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You are very welcome and you can see that I’m just part of a huge club of admirers… Groupies? Anyway, I’m so grateful for your voice in this whole thing and I love also the posts about history. Thank you.

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Holy COW! It feels like the mid-terms are too far away. I hope Jeffries can hold the dems together on a no vote. This whole CR is a crock and just like the gop budget resolution is designed to put in law the illegal and mostly unconstitutional downsizing, firing, and funding freezes already perpetrated by The Ketamine Kid and his crowd of hackers. Do you suppose there IS ANY CHANCE at all, or in he'll, whichever comes first, that the special elections April 1 could surprise all of us and especially little mikey?

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Only if a lot more people throw in money. And don’t forget the judicial race in Wisconsin.

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I am not forgetting the Wisconsin Supreme Court vote on 4/1/25 just about 24 in calendar days.

Political Context: In April 2023 liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz won with 55.4% of the Wisconsin vote starting the 1st ideological shift on the Wisconsin Bench in years.

At Stake: The 4/1/25 vote could set up a Liberal Majority until 2028 or create a 3-3 split handing per Ballotpedia an "outsize influence" to the 7th Justice with a "conservative leaning" tilt.

Caution: There are many -- a thicket of "Sponsored Ads".

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I’ve contributed to the 3 races on April 1 and WI judicial race and will continue to do so. Urge all y’all do the same. D’s have an uphill battle for the 2 Florida seats.

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Same here!

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Thank you Tom.

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Sadly, I fear the nominees to the Naval Academy Visitors Board and the Kennedy Center Board will have those once esteemed sites looking like biker clubhouses in no time at all, but it seems to be where the US is these days, embracing the lowest common denominator. "Abandon all hope (and aspirations for a better world), ye who enter here."

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Sorta/kinda the difficulties over the CR are good news - you know, bad news for them is good news for us...

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I am relieved he didn’t appoint Eddie Gallagher.

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I'm sure he will find a place for that "outstanding" veteran.

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So no Good news today? Actually, I'm not sure how you EVER dig out anything uplifting.

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Well , Canadians are taking Jack Daniels off their liquor shelves.

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So does that count as a good thing?

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The revenge component of all this is just mind boggling. As is the total lack of an iota of integrity by any Repub. both are only surprising because of the speed and ferocity of the evil. I truly believe that they plan to ditch elections and remain “the power” with no break for sanity. It would be wonderful to be wrong, but I would bet my life that the plans are afoot, likely with Vlad in charge…

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We need to keep planning for the elections. We have to make sure that should that happen, it's seen for what it is.

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YES.

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In my Aussie Federal Government life, I provided admin support to a number of boards of basically quasi-independent agencies and tribunals. Whenever there were inexperienced ratbags appointed to these things it could be a nightmare - a crisp three-hour meeting between experienced pros with no axes to grind could become an all-day cluster with arguments, or bringing dumb newbies up to speed.

The thought of Laura Ingraham being anywhere the board of an eminent cultural institution doesn't bear thinking about.

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Please tell us that the Visitors Boards at the service academies require Senate confirmation so there's at least a small chance some will be rejected.

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